Chamber backs city’s Great Exhibition of the North bid in 2018

The Bradford Chamber of Commerce has thrown its weight behind the city’s bid to host the Great Exhibition of the North in 2018.

Bradford is aiming to stage a two-month spectacular to showcase the best of art, culture and design in the North of England to international audiences.

Bradford Chamber president Andy Caton, a senior director at Yorkshire Building Society, said: “This is a great chance for Bradford to place itself not only at the heart of Yorkshire, but also as a key contributor to the Northern Powerhouse.

“It’s an opportunity to showcase what the North has to offer to the world and build on other events such as the Tour de France in 2014.”

He said that he hoped the bid will highlight the North’s cultural diversity, its rich heritage, and demonstrate outstanding examples of innovation, industry and entrepreneurialism.

“This exhibition is probably a once in a lifetime experience and we hope that visitors will come from near and far,” he added.

The Bradford team will be promoting the city to the Government-appointed bid committee as an ambitious, confident and forward-looking place with a young and diverse population, strong business community, an innovative technology sector, vibrant arts and cultural scene, great transport connections and excellent quality of life.

Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: “Our exhibition will be exciting, imaginative and showcase innovations in creativity and culture that the North is world famous for.

“Our city is the ideal place to illustrate the enormous potential that is awakening across the North.”